-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Getting ahead in your career is not just about being successful ; it 's about being noticed .

So how do you stand out to be hired by potential employers ? How do you stand out for a promotion to a superior ? How do you stand out as loyal to the people you are leading ? It 's simple : do the things that others are n't willing to do .

Whether you 're a leader , a team member , or a candidate , success comes from having the discipline to do the things that you know you should be doing , even when you do n't feel like doing them . When you practice this kind of self discipline regularly , you 'll naturally stand out from the pack -- because most people avoid the hard stuff . It 's just easier to put it off .

But the truth is that what feels easy now creates problems down the line . And what feels hard now -- doing the stuff you do n't feel like -- makes everything easier in the long-term . Self discipline does n't have to be hard -- you just have to change the way you think about it .

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Successful people have mastered the art of self discipline . I 've spent the last 10 years studying and coaching some of the most successful people in business , figuring out what makes them different . They 're not smarter or more talented than the average person -- they just consistently do what others are n't willing to do by keeping three principles in mind :

Do it scared . Fear is one of the biggest saboteurs of our goals , because it inhibits action . The next time you feel yourself putting something off because you 're afraid -- of uncertainty or failure -- just `` do it scared . ''

I once heard a true story of a woman who was trapped in a burning building on the 80th floor . She was terrified of heights and enclosed spaces , and when the fire alarm went off , she refused to follow her colleagues into the stairwell to evacuate to safety .

The firemen did a sweep of the building and found her hiding under her desk , waiting to die . She was screaming `` I 'm scared , I 'm scared ! '' as the firemen insisted she walk down the stairwell . Until one fireman said : `` that 's OK , just do it scared . '' He repeated it all the way down the 80 flights of stairs , until he brought her to safety .

We 've all faced these moments in our careers -- when you know what has to be done , but your fear holds you back . In order to stand out , you must develop the habit of acting in the face of fear . It 's fine to be scared -- do it scared . It 's fine to be unsure -- do it unsure . It 's fine to be uncomfortable -- do it uncomfortable . Just do something .

This is the attitude of the most disciplined and successful people on the planet . They might be scared , but they do it anyways . And by just doing something , you create movement and momentum that will lead to progress and results .

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Habits , not results . Perfectionism is one of the most common reasons people procrastinate , and we 've all done it at some point .

The best way to overcome this impulse is to put your self esteem into stellar work habits instead of results . It can take a while to see the fruits of your labor -- whether you 're spearheading a new initiative , trying to launch a business , or planning a second act career . To keep yourself motivated , take pride in sticking to your work habits , rather than looking for immediate results . In time , success will follow .

Remember the big picture . The pursuit of any goal will inevitably face a number of obstacles . The difference between those who stand out in the careers and those who blend in lies in what you do when you reach these critical turning points . Do you hesitate and turn back ? Or do you press forward ? When you feel frustrated , depressed , or disappointed , do n't give up -- just get some perspective .

I have a mental reminder that helps me push past these hurdles . I hold my pen up to my eye and stare directly down the barrel . Then , I pull it away and look at it in its entirety . It 's a quick way to remind myself to look at my life in the same way .

Stop fixating on the here and now , and think about the big picture . Today 's challenges may not make sense , but you must have faith that over the long-term , they will be nothing more than blips on the radar screen . Having this perspective and faith will help you press forward at the moments when others turn back .

Contrary to popular belief , people who have reached the highest levels in their careers are n't necessarily better educated , more talented or better connected . Neither are they simply more motivated or harder workers . Rather , successful people have realized that getting to the top means that they first have to do the things that they do n't want to do related to their goals .

It 's not about enjoying self discipline -- it 's about adopting a few new ways of thinking that simply make discipline easier to endure . And when you develop the habit of doing things that others wo n't do , you 're putting yourself on the fast track to the route to the top .

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Rory Vaden .

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Successful people consistently do the things that others are n't willing to do , says Rory Vaden

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If you feel yourself putting something off because you 're afraid , do it anyway , he says

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Vaden argues that we must stop fixating on the here and now , and think about the big picture